Sunday, 5 April 2009

White Cloud Mushroom

White Cloud with some dried 

Billows of white capillaries

On a visit to Marylebone Farmers Market I went to visit my friend William Rooney.
He is a forager and mushroom grower based in deep and wild Essex.   Amongst the variety of oysters, chestnuts, open caps was one which I have overlooked many a times before, it stole my attention - White Cloud Mushroom.  I have never seen a food so luminously white!  It's utterly fascinating to look at.  It was like looking down a microscope.  Billowing with fine capillary like ferns; it could be seaweed on a coral.  

Very good for the nervous system, William tells me.  It's no wonder, as they look just like nerves.

I took William's advice and ate them raw in a salad.  I made a dressing of sesame oil, rice vinegar and a dash of tamari.  Chili would not have gone amiss, but I wanted to allow the flavour through without dominating it with chili.

The white cloud can be dried and made into a nerve soothing tea.  

I thoroughly recommend a visit to his website www.mushroomtable.com, or catch him or his brother at the farmers market they attend (listed on website).



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